General Motors’ Vision for Smarter, More Convenient, and Accessible Driving
General Motors (GM) has long been at the forefront of innovation in the automotive industry, constantly pushing boundaries to make driving smarter, more convenient, and accessible to everyone. As part of this vision, GM is advancing hands-free driving technology to create a more comfortable and less stressful experience for drivers. The company’s commitment to this goal is exemplified through the groundbreaking Super Cruise driver assistance system.
Since its introduction in 2017, Super Cruise has revolutionized the way people drive, offering a hands-free experience that enhances both convenience and safety. Over the years, GM has refined and expanded the capabilities of Super Cruise, making it available to a growing number of drivers, models, and roadways. Today, this advanced technology is featured in over 20 models from Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, and GMC, with even more vehicles slated to be equipped with Super Cruise in the near future.
By the end of 2025, GM aims to expand Super Cruise’s reach to approximately 750,000 miles of roads across the U.S. and Canada, further solidifying its position as a leader in hands-free driving technology. Additionally, GM has introduced a unique feature in the industry: the ability to use Super Cruise while pulling a trailer on properly equipped vehicles, providing an unprecedented level of ease and control for drivers towing heavy loads.
How Super Cruise Works
Super Cruise utilizes a combination of cutting-edge technologies to enable hands-free driving under specified conditions. The system integrates real-time cameras, advanced sensors, GPS data, and high-precision maps to monitor the vehicle’s surroundings and ensure safe operation. Super Cruise builds upon Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), adjusting the vehicle’s speed to maintain a safe following distance from the vehicle ahead.
One of the key aspects of Super Cruise is its Driver Attention System, which ensures that drivers remain engaged and ready to take control if needed. While Super Cruise allows for hands-free driving, it still requires an attentive driver. The system monitors the driver’s gaze and head position, ensuring they are focused on the road. If the system detects inattention, it provides a series of visual, haptic (if equipped), and audio alerts to regain the driver’s focus. In cases where the driver fails to respond, Super Cruise will bring the vehicle to a controlled stop, activate hazard lights, and contact OnStar for assistance.
Another standout feature of Super Cruise is its ability to handle lane changes. On properly equipped vehicles, the system can automatically change lanes to pass a slower vehicle or move out of a lane that is ending. In other cases, drivers can initiate a lane change using the turn signal, and Super Cruise will check for blind spots and execute the maneuver safely.
Super Cruise is designed to work collaboratively with the driver. If a driver needs to make a slight steering adjustment—such as moving slightly to one side of the lane to avoid a pothole—they can do so without fully disengaging the system. Once the adjustment is made, Super Cruise automatically resumes control. The system is also capable of slowing down or stopping for traffic when necessary. Drivers can regain full control at any time by turning off Super Cruise or lightly tapping the brake pedal.
How to Use Super Cruise
Activating Super Cruise is a straightforward process that enhances the driving experience with minimal effort. To engage the system, drivers must follow a simple three-step procedure while driving a Super Cruise-equipped vehicle on a compatible road:
- Turn on Adaptive Cruise Control using the corresponding button on the steering wheel. At this stage, drivers can remove their feet from the pedals as the vehicle maintains speed and distance from other cars.
- Wait for Super Cruise to detect driving conditions that meet operational requirements. These include:
- The vehicle must be on a mapped, Super Cruise-enabled road.
- The driver must be paying sufficient attention.
- Lane markings must be visible, and GPS must be available.
- No system faults should be present.
- Engage hands-free driving by pressing the Super Cruise button on the steering wheel. Once the system activates, a green light will illuminate on the steering wheel, signaling that hands-free driving is in effect. At this point, drivers can take their hands off the wheel while remaining attentive to the road.
If the steering wheel indicator flashes blue, it means the driver is steering manually. To allow Super Cruise to take over, the driver should align the vehicle in the center of the lane and hold the wheel steady until the light turns green.
A red flashing light on the steering wheel indicates that the driver must take over immediately. This could be due to various reasons, such as the system losing sight of lane markings due to weather conditions or construction zones, or the driver not looking at the road.
Disengaging Super Cruise is just as simple as activating it. Drivers can turn off the system by pressing the Super Cruise button again or by pressing the brake pedal.
Continuous Improvements and Expanding Capabilities
GM is committed to continually enhancing Super Cruise’s capabilities and expanding its reach. One notable improvement is the integration of Google Maps into the dashboards of select Super Cruise-equipped vehicles. This feature allows drivers to see which segments of their route support Super Cruise, as well as the estimated hands-free driving time available on their journey.
For customers who frequently tow trailers, Super Cruise offers a specialized Hands-Free Trailering mode on select vehicles. When a trailer is hitched, the system automatically adjusts for the trailer’s size, weight, and turning radius, ensuring a smooth and controlled hands-free driving experience even when towing.
Moreover, GM is consistently working to make Super Cruise available on more roads in more locations. Every newly added road becomes accessible to eligible Super Cruise users via over-the-air (OTA) software updates at no additional cost. This commitment to continuous expansion means that Super Cruise users will enjoy hands-free driving on an ever-growing network of roads without needing to visit a dealership for updates.
As automotive technology advances, GM remains dedicated to pioneering new developments that enhance the driving experience. Super Cruise represents a significant step toward fully autonomous driving, laying the groundwork for future innovations. By expanding road coverage, improving system capabilities, and integrating new technologies, GM is making hands-free driving safer, more reliable, and more accessible to a broad range of drivers.
With a firm commitment to innovation and user convenience, GM is shaping the future of mobility. By 2025, Super Cruise will cover an extensive network of roads, making long-distance travel easier and more enjoyable for drivers across North America. Whether commuting to work, embarking on a road trip, or towing heavy loads, drivers can look forward to a seamless, stress-free driving experience with Super Cruise.
As hands-free driving technology continues to evolve, GM will remain at the forefront, ensuring that drivers have access to the most advanced and reliable systems on the market. The journey towards a smarter, safer, and more convenient driving future is well underway, and with Super Cruise, GM is leading the charge.
